Investing, almost by definition, isn’t typically considered to be a quick way to earn a profit. Instead, you’ll put a portion of your money into a particular asset, monitor it and manage it, and then hope that it grows over an extended period of time. It’s not frequently an overnight sensation, and turning a major profit in just a few months or even a year generally isn’t the norm.

But the price growth silver has experienced over the past year, in particular, isn’t exactly normal either. Up by more than 220% since January 2025, as of January 23, 2026, this is one of the most rapidly growing and profitable investments to consider right now. And with the expectation that the price of the metal could soon break additional records, the time to get invested for many is now, before the price potentially pushes the metal out of reach entirely.

To better determine the value of acting now, however, it helps to know how much you could’ve earned by acting sooner. And, if you invested one year ago, approximately, you’d already have made a substantial profit, even accounting for dealer markups and other items. Let’s say, then, that you had bought silver one year ago. Below, we’ll detail how much you can potentially sell it for now and, more importantly, detail if you actually should.

Get started with silver before the price spikes again here.

Here’s how much you can sell silver for now

At $30.45 per ounce on January 23, 2025, according to American Hartford Gold’s price chart, silver was relatively inexpensive to purchase. Compared to the price of gold at the time (now hovering around $5,000 per ounce), silver was a much cheaper precious metal alternative, even if it doesn’t operate in the same exact ways that gold does.

As of January 23, 2026, the price of silver sits at $98.79 for that same ounce. That’s 224% growth year over year. So, if you had bought at that price, you’d make around $70 in profit for every ounce sold right now. But the details here can obfuscate that profit margin, perhaps more significantly than investors would prefer.

It’s important to remember that the price here is for pure silver. So, if you didn’t buy it that way, you won’t be able to sell it for as direct a profit as noted above. Where you bought it matters, too, as a markup paid last year can reduce your profits made now. Where you sell it now will also have an impact. More experienced investors, jewelers and pawnshops are unlikely to pay you the going rate, as they will need to underbuy and oversell to turn a profit on their end.

Still, the growth here is remarkable. Whether you bought pure silver or a mix, paid a markup last year or didn’t and have to slightly undersell now, you’re still going to turn a significant profit. And that’s particularly impressive considering that assets like gold and silver are better known as income protectors versus income producers. But, in today’s unique economic landscape, they’re currently serving as both.

Learn more about your top silver and gold investing options here.

Should you sell your silver investment now?

The answer to this question, as always, is a personal one. If you want to forego the volatility of monitoring precious metal investments in today’s economy, are satisfied with the profit margin that’s currently being offered, and have other safe haven options that can backfill the role silver has been playing in your portfolio, then selling it could be advantageous. 

However, don’t rush to do so, either.

As can be seen with this sort of price growth, holding on to your silver investment could be even more beneficial. Some would even argue that now is the time to get invested further, not reduce your holdings. And if this price growth continues (as many forecast), selling now will be looked back on as a hasty mistake, not a strategic maneuver. 

Whatever you ultimately decide to do, however, just be sure to keep the precious metal section of your portfolio limited to 10%. This will allow your other assets to better perform as intended, and it will avoid you being too invested in assets that, historically at least, don’t grow as gold and silver have over the past year.

The bottom line

The price of silver is up by more than 220% year over year, giving investors who got started with the metal much to think about right now. Whether you bought in then, however, got invested later in 2025, or are considering a move now, it still pays to be informed and judicious in your approach. Consider speaking with a precious metals professional, then, who can answer your specific questions and help you build a tailored investment strategy.